CHAPTER 589: CHAPTER 580 CAPITAL APPRECIATION AND AUSTRIAN INDUSTRY

"Ah! When did the Empire become like this!"

Franz Joseph sighed at the predicament faced by the Austrian Empire, and in his heart, he even blamed his grandfather (Emperor Franz) who had been out of date for more than a decade.

If it weren’t for the repeated misjudgments of his grandfather, the Austrian Empire would not have fallen to this point.

However, complaint is one thing, Franz Joseph still knew what should be said and what should not.

"Your Majesty, the main mistake for the Empire becoming like this is mine!" Prince Metternich took all the blame upon himself, "It was our initial strategic errors that led to the current situation we face!"

"Advisor Metternich, this is not your fault!" Franz Joseph hurriedly comforted Prince Metternich: "You’ve done very well already!"

As Franz Joseph rightly said, that Austria was able to maintain the dignity of a victor at the Vienna Congress was thanks to Prince Metternich.

At that time, although the Austrian Empire had the third largest territory in Europe, its forces were even weaker than the Kingdom of Bavaria, with only about 50,000 men.

Prince Metternich, with his mere 50,000 troops, managed to secure lands not commensurate with their contributions through a strategic balancing act.

Although these lands became a burden for the Austrian Empire after 1848, from the perspective of the time, the Austrian Empire was winning big.

Whereas the Kingdom of Prussia, which secured victory at the Battle of Waterloo, aside from annexing most of Saxon territory, was forced by Metternich to accept the Rhine Land, which was practically a negative asset.

However, history is always full of irony. The once negative asset became the industrial heart, and the wealthiest and most governable regions of the Italian Region have now become the most turbulent area of the Empire.

"Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness!" Prince Metternich earnestly advised Joseph Franz: "Please ensure that you do not develop a resistance towards the French Empire! Because the Austrian Empire not only needs military support from the French Empire but also their support in the economic field!"

"Economic field?" Franz Joseph muttered twice.

"Exactly!" Prince Metternich nodded, explaining in the simplest terms to Franz Joseph: "Your Majesty, from Strasbourg to Paris, you must have seen the gap between France and Austria!"

"Hmm!"

Although Franz Joseph was reluctant to admit that the French Empire excelled in every aspect over the Austrian Empire, he still acknowledged the disparity to Metternich.

"Your Majesty, do you know why the French and Britain developed so rapidly?" Prince Metternich asked rhetorically.

"Because of the thriving commerce of France?" Franz Joseph tentatively responded.

"That is only one aspect!" Prince Metternich nodded with satisfaction and said: "When I was in the Kingdom of Britain, I had discussions with Russell and Palmerston. They told me that the most crucial factor for the rapid development of the Kingdom of Britain was industrialization!"

"What is industrialization?" Franz Joseph asked Prince Metternich.

Although the advancement of industrialization was steadily progressing in Europe, the only countries that truly understood industrialization were Britain and France. For Joseph Franz, the concept of industrialization was still quite vague.

"Industrialization means a process of capital appreciation dominated by large-scale mechanical production!" Metternich conveyed his understanding of industrialization to Franz Joseph.

Franz Joseph furrowed his brow, then nodded as if half understanding.

"For the Austrian Empire to become an industrialized nation like Britain and France, it must vigorously develop factories, improve steam engine efficiency, and simultaneously enhance national transportation... this requires sufficient manpower, ample resources, a unified market, and billions in capital and cash technology!" Metternich explained to Franz Joseph: "The Austrian Empire does not lack manpower, resources, or a market, but we lack capital and technology! And these two elements are monopolized by Britain and France, which means that if we want rapid development, we cannot do so without the support of the two countries, Britain, and France."

"Is France really willing to help us?" Franz Joseph asked Prince Metternich.

"Your Majesty, my son Richard tells me that His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte is very willing to offer some support to the Austrian Empire!" Prince Metternich replied to Franz Joseph with a gratified smile: "Richard also told me that during his tenure in Paris, he also met a lot of industrialists who are very willing to work for the friendship between the French Empire and the Austrian Empire!"

"Richard?" Franz Joseph muttered softly, then added: "I didn’t expect that his connections in Paris would be that extensive!"

"It’s all because of you!" Prince Metternich complimented Franz Joseph.

"Because of me?" Franz Joseph looked at Prince Metternich with some surprise.

"Many industrialists are willing to invest in the Austrian Empire because they admire your decisive style!"

...

While Prince Metternich was earnestly persuading Franz Joseph to hold onto the French Empire’s coattails, Jerome Bonaparte and Mokar also arrived at Ossai Pier.

As soon as Jerome Bonaparte entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he bumped into the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

"Your Majesty!" The Secretary of State quickly bowed to Jerome Bonaparte upon seeing his arrival.

Jerome Bonaparte immediately inquired whether Minister De Luyis was still in the office.

"Your Majesty, Minister Luyis is still in the office!" The Secretary of State promptly responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Take me to see him immediately!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered.

"Yes!"

The Secretary of State led Jerome Bonaparte to the minister’s office and then pushed open the door.

Minister De Luyis, who was working by candlelight, looked up at the sound from the doorway and saw Jerome Bonaparte standing there.

"Your Majesty, what brings you here?" De Luyis said as he got up and walked towards Jerome Bonaparte.

"What’s wrong? Can’t I come?" Jerome Bonaparte jokingly asked De Luyis.

"Of course not!" De Luyis bowed to Jerome Bonaparte upon reaching him, then invited Jerome Bonaparte to sit on the sofa beside him. "If you have any urgent matters, you could have sent someone to notify me! I would have hurried to the Tuileries Palace as quickly as possible, no need to trouble you to come personally!"

"The Tuileries Palace is not a place for conversation right now! There’s a chance our distant guest might think we’re plotting something behind his back!" Not yet aware his movements were exposed, Jerome Bonaparte hinted to De Luyis.

"Your Majesty, are you referring to His Majesty Franz Joseph?" De Luyis asked.

"Of course!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded, "The Austrian Empire is the most important strategic partner for the empire’s future! Well, let’s leave that aside! I’m here today not for the Austrian Empire, but for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg!"

"The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg?" De Luyis showed a puzzled expression as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg seemed unrelated to the French Empire.

"I am planning to purchase the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from my brother-in-law, the King of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but I’m afraid of opposition from the Kingdom of Britain!" Jerome Bonaparte candidly stated to De Luyis.

De Luyis looked at Jerome Bonaparte with a bewildered expression, as he, being the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was completely unaware of this matter.

Seeing De Luyis’ confused look, Jerome Bonaparte explained the ins and outs of purchasing the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to De Luyis.

The initiation for purchasing the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg started when Augusta returned from the Kingdom of Württemberg to Paris. At that time, Empress Augusta not only brought the Maoqi Clan but also, during a casual chat, revealed to Jerome Bonaparte that the King of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who is Jerome Bonaparte’s brother-in-law, wanted to sell the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to his father-in-law, William I.

It is said, what the speaker meant by chance, the listener took to heart.

Jerome Bonaparte immediately thought of the historical Luxembourg crisis of 1869, where the King of the Kingdom of the Netherlands similarly wanted to sell the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Napoleon III, but halfway through, Bismarck exposed the deal, resulting in the French Empire facing pressure from Prussia, Russia, and Britain, forcing it to abandon the redemption of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

He immediately realized this was a French opportunity for expansion, so Jerome Bonaparte, without notifying anyone, dispatched his most trusted henchman Percy to secretly negotiate with his father-in-law in the Kingdom of Württemberg.

Percy, not disappointing Jerome Bonaparte, managed to establish a connection with his father-in-law and then kept in touch with brother-in-law William III of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through his father-in-law.

Jerome Bonaparte and William III, along with his father-in-law, have been discussing for more than half a year, and only now have they reached a preliminary consensus.

"My brother-in-law is particularly timid; he wants a good price for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg but is afraid of the Kingdom of Britain and the Austrian Empire!" Jerome Bonaparte explained the whole story to De Luyis and also described William III’s personality: "So I told him through the Kingdom of Württemberg to rest assured! France will take responsibility for all the consequences!"